Author: Rachel M
-
Almost a quarter Scandinavian
I took a DNA test to discover my genetic origins and apparently I’m 24% Scandinavian. This is a surprise given I don’t have any Scandinavian ancestry. I’m almost 50% English however and probably everyone with English ancestry also has some Scandinavian thanks to the marauding vikings. At least now I know why I like winter…
-
The Bridge House Stables
We’re just back from a fantastic weekend away staying at the Bridge House Stables in Perthshire. It’s an old bridge built in 1881 over the River Ardle and now let as two holiday homes. The interior has been tastefully renovated and in keeping with the age of the bridge. Straddling the river means you can…
-
Old things
I love old things. We’re doing some exploring this weekend in a beautiful part of Scotland. I love the landscapes in Scotland: the hills, lochs, rivers, and sea. But I also love the history and the architecture. Modern stuff doesn’t really excite me but old stuff inspires and uplifts me. Old things are unique and…
-
I think our transport planners are stuck in a 1970s time warp
I’m not sure whether to laugh or cry about this article – Is this the worst cycling event EVER? They’ve built a new ring road exclusively for motor vehicles around Aberdeen which is about to open but somehow they were allowed, in the 21st century, to build it without any provision for cyclists. Indeed cyclists…
-
Praise the oat drink
I am loving the Marks and Spencer oat drink. I only just discovered it and it’s delicious! After having consumed soya drink for more than 15 years I’m now an oat drink convert. We’re not supposed to call it milk because the EU ruled that non-diary substitutes cannot be called milk. I’m quite happy about…
-
The weekly yield
This is what I picked from my allotment yesterday. There is more I could have picked but didn’t, like kale, swiss chard, spinach, beetroot, and potatoes. The tomatoes are some kind of tiger variety and are meant to look stripy. I’m really happy to get them because a couple of months ago the plants looked…
-
I don’t like what you wear but I defend your right to wear it – part 2
If Boris Johnson hadn’t generated a media tornado this week with his burkas resemble letterboxes comment I would not have known that Denmark recently banned people from wearing face veils in public. I find it odd that everyone is focussing on the letterbox comment, which I found funny, rather than the more concerning issue which…
-
Broad Street is open to buses
Broad Street is open to buses again after several months of closure while construction work was carried out. I was there yesterday and took some photos of the new design: Can you see what’s wrong with the new design? It’s not clear where the road ends and the pavement begins. There’s no kerb. It’s all…
-
Wounded
I hurt my finger. Can’t type very well. It was a can of lentil soup. Those things are sharp! Be careful people.
-
Bees and toads
I can only get to the allotment once per week but it changes so much with each visit. My courgettes are cropping in abundance. I’m not sure what to do with them all. I also got my first tomatoes and cucumbers of the season. I have heaps and heaps of kale. More than we could…
-
Elizabeth’s signature dish
Elizabeth has been cooking like crazy these holidays. She can read and follow a recipe almost entirely on her own which is impressive for an 8-year-old. One night she made dinner and informed us that this was her “signature dish”. I think she’s watched Zumbo’s Just Desserts a few too many times. On Monday she…
-
Inside Hoss
Ben fell off his bike a couple of weeks ago and broke his arm in two places. He’s recovering well and fortunately no cars were involved in the accident or it could have been much worse. He’s unable ride his bike until his arm is better and so when we all went for a cycle…
-
The Thistle
Have you ever wondered why the national flower of Scotland is a prickly weed? I find it amusing and endearing that the Scots chose the thistle for their national flower but this week I discovered there’s a story behind it and it’s a good one. Apparently during the 13th century Norway was fighting Scotland for…
-
Fed up with hot and dry
I miss winter. I truly do. Yes, I like watching the garden come to life in spring and the buds blossom but I love the muted lighting of winter more and feeling the cold air on my cheeks. It has been hot and dry here. It has been the driest first half of summer for…
-
Balmoral Castle
I have had the best four days. I can’t even begin to describe how fantastic it has been. Friday was Dunnottar Castle, Saturday was a cycle ride to Newton Dee & Shakespeare at Drum Castle in the evening, Sunday we went to the Moscow State Circus, and today we visited Balmoral Castle. My sister has…
-
Shakespeare at Drum Castle
We saw the Merchant of Venice at Drum Castle last night by Illyria. It was brilliant and the acting was superb. The cast of just five meant they all played several roles and the changing of costumes and accents was flawless. We saw them once before with A Midsummer Night’s Dream and as then, we…
-
A medieval castle
My sister is visiting us which gave me an excuse to go to Dunnottar Castle. I never tire of the dramatic coastline around the castle with its precipitous cliffs and rocky islands in the sea. The castle itself is a medieval ruined fortress with some exciting history. The Scottish crown jewels were hidden there in…
-
Why do they get all the space?
At the Sustainability festival last weekend I received one negative comment that has been on my mind ever since. Overall the community was very supportive but one person approached me and said indignantly, “Why do they [cyclists] get all the space?” I was unsure how to respond because all I could think of was this cartoon.…
-
The pear tree: one month on
The pear tree I planted a month ago that looked rather dead has sprung back to life. In fact, all the plants in the whisky barrel have changed dramatically in just one month. Here’s how it looked at the beginning of June: Here’s how it looks today: That’s a single spinach plant in the front…
-
But I once saw a cyclist go through a red light …
Why do people feel the need to tell me this? It’s not my job to defend cyclists who go through red lights just as it’s not my job to defend motorists who go through red lights. Or motorists who drink and drive. Or motorists who speed. Or motorists who go the wrong way down a…
rachel.blog 